Trained Adult Lab Stopped Retrieving Pheasant

[kurtz.nb]

I have a 4 year old fox red lab who has been bird hunting for 3 years. She is really quite good, as she will point, flush and retrieve consistently every time. Yesterday was my first day out for the season and she did everything well, accept for retrieving the bird. Instead, she would find it after being downed, but would just sit next to it and refused to pick it up. This happened for all three birds. Also, about three weeks ago we had a Woodcock hit the window of our cabin and die. For fun, I tried having here retrieve that bird but she also refused. Any thoughts on what might cause this and more importantly any advice? She was at a trainer this summer working on skills while we were on vacation and I wonder if something happened there. I've reached out but am still awaiting a response. He had her on an e- collar which is something she had only just started to have exposure to prior and was a long way from being perfected.

Thanks
Nick

 

[Chico guy]

I don't know what would cause your retriever to stop retrieving but I know what old school Labrador guys would say and it's not going to help your situation, so let's get it out of the way with the first reply.

• Labradors come in three colors, red not being one of them
• Labradors should be bred to retrieve first, then flush- not point

Okay, now that's out of the way. My advice is just work with her on retrieves, starting easy and making it fun again. Start with the basics, let her enjoy the game. Don't progress until she is retrieving and holding to your satisfaction. My guess is she will snap back into her main role. Maybe too much work in the upland fields "pointing" has her identifying as a short hair.
I don't think a Lab in her prime will completely forget the drive to retrieve.
Force fetch as a last resort.

 

[Longtine88]

Had a English pointer do this once. So I carried a bunch of beef jerky in my pocket. when she retrieved the quail and brought it to me. Only bad thing is she expects a bite of the Sasquatch lol.

 

[kurtz.nb]

Had a English pointer do this once. So I carried a bunch of beef jerky in my pocket. when she retrieved the quail and brought it to me. Only bad thing is she expects a bite of the Sasquatch lol.

Lol! Awesome. I worked for Jack Links in new products for 5 years! Jack Link himself would love to hear that story! Thx for the feedback!

 

[kurtz.nb]

I don't know what would cause your retriever to stop retrieving but I know what old school Labrador guys would say and it's not going to help your situation, so let's get it out of the way with the first reply.

• Labradors come in three colors, red not being one of them
• Labradors should be bred to retrieve first, then flush- not point

Okay, now that's out of the way. My advice is just work with her on retrieves, starting easy and making it fun again. Start with the basics, let her enjoy the game. Don't progress until she is retrieving and holding to your satisfaction. My guess is she will snap back into her main role. Maybe too much work in the upland fields "pointing" has her identifying as a short hair.
I don't think a Lab in her prime will completely forget the drive to retrieve.
Force fetch as a last resort.

Ok this makes sense. I don't want to get over concerned about this and as a result overdo it with her. We are going to go out again in two weeks but in the meantime will start back at the beginning. I have a few wings for the dummy and at that gets here excited. Thank you .

 

[Dr. Vette]

Many dogs dislike retrieving woodcock as they apparently taste bad to the dog.

Go back to retrieving bumpers, putting some pheasant or other scent on them if you wish.
Get her back to the basics, and move on from there.

 

[birddog 68]

I would rule out any type of mouth injury first.
An e-collar when used PROPERLY is excellent for training with no adverse effects.
Great advice from Chico guy and make it fun again and I never had a lab that wouldn't want to do a water retrieve.
And yes pointing should be way down the list after retrieving and flushing for a Labrador.

 

[2buffalo]

Teach her force fetch. If you didn't do it in initial training I am not surprised she would stop fetching. If you did it in your original training refresh her memory.

 

[Handymike]

I have a 4 year old fox red lab who has been bird hunting for 3 years. She is really quite good, as she will point, flush and retrieve consistently every time. Yesterday was my first day out for the season and she did everything well, accept for retrieving the bird. Instead, she would find it after being downed, but would just sit next to it and refused to pick it up. This happened for all three birds. Also, about three weeks ago we had a Woodcock hit the window of our cabin and die. For fun, I tried having here retrieve that bird but she also refused. Any thoughts on what might cause this and more importantly any advice? She was at a trainer this summer working on skills while we were on vacation and I wonder if something happened there. I've reached out but am still awaiting a response. He had her on an e- collar which is something she had only just started to have exposure to prior and was a long way from being perfected.

Thanks
Nick

I had a black lab that we used for waterfowl, mostly pass shooting between ponds , so retrieves were dry land. Bear got beat up by a honker and refused to retrieve that year and the next. He'd go sit by them until I can and dispatched them.
Took him pheasant hunting up in the delta and wounded a rooster, Bear caught it and it started flappits wings at him. He just grabbed the rooster by the head and bit down hard.
Rooster died on the spot, Bear made the retrieve. No more problems.
That year went waterfowl hunting again, shot a big honker, which hit the ground very much alive. Bear ran up on him, stopped for a second, charged the bird, grabbed his head in his mouth CRUNCH. No more flapping wings. Great retrieve. He learned how to take care of those nasty birds his way.
Until the day he died at 15 I never got a large bird, goose, duck, pheasant that didn't have a crushed head. Maybe that happened to your red one.


Mike

 

[Wedgy]

She was at a trainer this summer working on skills while we were on vacation and I wonder if something happened there. I've reached out but am still awaiting a response. He had her on an e- collar which is something she had only just started to have exposure to prior and was a long way from being perfected.

Thanks
Nick

He may have hit her too hard with the collar, they are very effective but there are really only 3 levels; too little, too much, and just right. I tried one on my neck half power just see what I was dishing out and I wouldn't pick up a bird again either.

 

[Kwait40]

I would agree with a force fetch routine. Was one of the worst two weeks with my chessie but it builds a stronger bond and relationship with the dog in the end.

 

[coyotemaster]

He may have hit her too hard with the collar, they are very effective but there are really only 3 levels; too little, too much, and just right. I tried one on my neck half power just see what I was dishing out and I wouldn't pick up a bird again either.

I train every day and that was my first impression. As said e- collars are great for obedience and avoidance training but I'm really careful if the animal is doing what I want done. Any stimulation at the wrong time can break a good habit as fast as a bad one.
Go back to basics play fetch make it fun, find a new trainer!

 

[coyotemaster]

He may have hit her too hard with the collar, they are very effective but there are really only 3 levels; too little, too much, and just right. I tried one on my neck half power just see what I was dishing out and I wouldn't pick up a bird again either.

I train every day and that was my first impression. As said e- collars are great for obedience and avoidance training but I'm really careful if the animal is doing what I want done. Any stimulation at the wrong time can break a good habit as fast as a bad one.
Go back to basics play fetch make it fun, find a new trainer

 

[aschler]

He may have hit her too hard with the collar, they are very effective but there are really only 3 levels; too little, too much, and just right. I tried one on my neck half power just see what I was dishing out and I wouldn't pick up a bird again either.

I had a buddy shock my leg on one of the lower power settings while I was driving us back from Cabelas after he just got a new collar, almost crashed the car.